7 Foods To Increase Blood Platelets

When your skin is wounded, platelets clump together to form clots to stop bleeding. However, when you do not have enough blood platelets in your body, blood clots cannot form. Blood is made up of various types of cells, namely red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets, also known thrombocytes. A lack of platelets in your body may cause symptoms like fatigue, bleeding gums, easy bruising, et al. A low platelet count may also be known as thrombocytopenia. The condition, if diagnosed early may be cured with a healthy diet. There are certain foods to increase blood platelets. We take you through the symptoms and causes of low platelet count and the foods to increase blood platelets.

Symptoms Of Low Blood Platelet Count

Mild cases of low blood platelet count may have you experience the following symptoms-

1. Bleeding nose
2. Bleeding gums
3. Blood in the urine
4. Heavy menstrual bleeding
5. Rashes
6. Prolonged wound bleeding
7. Blood in the stool
8. In case of severe condition, you may vomit blood
9. Heavy internal bleeding may lead to bleeding in the brain. Consult your doctor immediately in case you have low blood platelet count and experience headaches or any neurological problem.

Foods To Increase Blood Platelets

According to Dr. Preeti Jain, Senior Dietitian, Action Cancer Hospital, New Delhi, ”Food to increase blood platelets counts can include vitamin B-12, folate, vitamin C and iron. These can help your body make and maintain platelets in your blood.”

Here are foods to increase blood platelets-

1.  Vitamin A rich foods

Vitamin A is essential for a healthy platelet production. This nutrient is known to be significant for protein formation in the body. Healthy protein content in the body helps in the process of cell division and growth. Some of the foods that you should ideally add to your daily diet may include carrot, pumpkin, kale and sweet potatoes.

2.  Folate rich foods

Deficiency of folate in the body may lead to a lower blood platelet count. Add more vitamin B9 or folate rich foods that may be extremely important for healthy cell division in the body that can help increase blood platelet count. Include more orange juice, spinach, asparagus and leafy greens in your diet.

3. Load up on vitamin K

Foods to increase blood platelets include vitamin K rich foods. This nutrient is necessary to ensure a healthy growth of cells at an optimum level in the body. Eating kale, eggs, green leafy vegetables, liver, meat, cabbage, parsley, et al will help increase your blood platelet count.

4. Vitamin B-12

Vitamin B-12 may help keep your blood cells healthy and its deficiency has been associated with low platelet counts. Vitamin B-12 is generally found in eggs, milk, cheese, et al.

5. Iron

Iron is known to promote the production of healthy cells in the body. It is best for the people with anemia. Go ahead and include pumpkin seeds, pomegranate, lentils and leafy greens in your diet to load up on iron.

 6. Vitamin C rich food

Vitamin C is responsible for helping your platelets group together to function properly. It also helps the body to absorb iron that also contributes to increasing blood platelets. Add mangoes, broccoli, pineapple, tomatoes, bell peppers, cauliflower, Indian gooseberry or amla, et al.

7. Wheat grass

According to a study published in the International Journal of Universal Pharmacy and Life Sciences, wheat grass has been known to help elevate blood platelet count. Drinking a cup of wheat grass along with a drop of lemon juice may help increase blood platelet.
Lead a healthy life with these important foods to increase blood platelets and ensure a healthy functioning body.

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